Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes for Celiac Awareness Month

Bloggers all over America are baking cupcakes.  

Why?

To bring attention to the need for gluten-free food labeling laws.

May is Celiac Awareness Month and what better way to bring attention to the needs of the gluten-free community then to head to the kitchen? 

As a food allergy mom, I know first-hand the difference that food labeling can make.  When my son was first diagnosed with multiple food allergies, the grocery store was like a mine field.  There was no easy way to know if packaged foods were safe or not without memorizing lots of technical terms (albumen, for example) and a lot of guesswork.

Once the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 was passed, it made life a lot easier.  (Though it's not perfect.)  Gluten is not included in the law, though, and there has yet to be a legal answer to ease the minds of consumers.  That, however, is about to change.  Lawmakers are set to announce rules regarding gluten in September.

To celebrate how the new rules will affect each person, the American Celiac Disease Alliance is hosting an event featuring cakes-for-one (cupcakes!).  To see all of the delicious entries, go to the ACDA Facebook page.  There are drawings for prizes there, too.

I baked up Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins from Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen and Gluten-free Vegan Recipes and topped them with Vanilla Frosting.  Yum!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Makes 15 Muffins (or cupcakes)

Ingredients:

3 cups gluten-free oat flour (or 3 cups GF all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 t. xanthan gum)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or evaporated cane juice)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups raw grated zucchini
1 cup allergy-safe chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350.  Oil muffin pans or line with muffin papers.

In a medium bowl, combine oat flour (or all-purpose flour and xanthan gum), baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; stir with a whisk.

In a large bowl, combine applesauce with 3/4 teaspoon baking powder.  Add sugars, oil, and vanilla to applesauce.  Thoroughly mix zucchini into applesauce mixture.

Mix dry ingredients into zucchini mixture.  Stir chocolate chips into batter.

Spoon into oiled muffin pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Happy Cooking!
Kim



My new book, Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.